Cost of Living Comparison Between Zawiya and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Zawiya and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Zawiya versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $654 in Zawiya versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $881 in Zawiya versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Zawiya costs roughly 66% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zawiya 69% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 LYD 14.53

$4.66 ฿154

-50.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.04 LYD 94.9

$32.22 ฿1,065

-53.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.54 LYD 16.00

$8.68 ฿287

-70.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 LYD 3.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 LYD 3.90

Cappuccino

$0.42 LYD 2.63

$2.90 ฿95.8

-85.52%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 LYD 2.64

$0.84 ฿27.89

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.09 LYD 0.57

$0.49 ฿16.16

-81.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 LYD 5.72

$1.89 ฿62.3

-51.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 LYD 1.26

$1.41 ฿46.54

-85.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 LYD 7.05

$1.62 ฿53.6

-30.86%

Eggs

$1.03 LYD 6.48

$2.24 ฿74.1

-54.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.66 LYD 29.43

$19.84 ฿656

-76.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 LYD 20.97

$3.48 ฿115

-4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 LYD 55.9

$11.37 ฿376

-22.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 LYD 11.70

$2.90 ฿95.8

-36.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 LYD 7.83

$1.72 ฿57.0

-27.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 LYD 4.47

$2.27 ฿75.1

-68.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.32

$2.13 ฿70.4

-75.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 LYD 3.09

$1.47 ฿48.72

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.27 LYD 1.70

$1.42 ฿46.92

-80.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 LYD 1.88

$1.10 ฿36.25

-72.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 LYD 1.13

$0.60 ฿19.76

-70.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 LYD 4.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 LYD 4.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 LYD 5.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 LYD 10.55

$4.31 ฿142

-61.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 LYD 4.84

$2.25 ฿74.2

-65.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.03 LYD 246

$23.49 ฿776

66.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 LYD 4.92

$3.10 ฿102

-74.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 LYD 3.11

$1.08 ฿35.56

-54.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 LYD 15.16

$3.87 ฿128

-37.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.02 LYD 0.13

$1.43 ฿47.16

-98.60%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$15.6K LYD 98.8K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-43.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$14.0K LYD 88.5K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-48.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$93.3 LYD 589

$105 ฿3,462

-10.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$5.67 LYD 35.81

$11.39 ฿376

-50.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.23 LYD 77.2

$17.54 ฿580

-30.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.20 LYD 109

$54.3 ฿1,795

-68.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 LYD 24.75

$11.44 ฿378

-65.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 LYD 24.32

$7.78 ฿257

-50.51%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$52.7 LYD 332

$576 ฿19.0K

-90.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$628 LYD 3,966

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-94.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.22 LYD 134

$63.6 ฿2,103

-66.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.59 LYD 111

$29.10 ฿961

-39.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.97 LYD 177

$96.2 ฿3,179

-70.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.76 LYD 200

$90.0 ฿2,974

-64.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.1 LYD 575

$733 ฿24.2K

-87.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.2 LYD 367

$501 ฿16.5K

-88.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$171 LYD 1,082

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-91.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LYD 735

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-90.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$469 LYD 2,960

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-86.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.80 LYD 245

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-98.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$255 LYD 1,611

$508 ฿16.8K

-49.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Zawiya: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $91.1 in Zawiya and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 99% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $15.00 in Zawiya vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $104 vs $275 per month, with Zawiya cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Zawiya vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zawiya is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $91.1 in Zawiya versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $52.7 in Zawiya versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 164% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $426 in Zawiya versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zawiya but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zawiya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zawiya is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Zawiya and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zawiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.